Heliotrope plant named ‘USHTRP0303’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Heliotrope  plant named ‘USHTRP0303’, characterized by its upright to outwardly spreading plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; fragrant violet-colored flowers; and good summer garden performance.

Botanical designation: Heliotropium amplexicaule×Heliotropiumleiocarpum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘USHTRP0303’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofHeliotrope plant, botanically known as Heliotropiumamplexicaule×Heliotropium leiocarpum and hereinafter referred to by thename ‘USHTRP0303’.

The new Heliotrope plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Hikone, Shiga, Japan. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new Heliotrope cultivars with good planthabit and attractive coloration.

The new Heliotrope plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor on Jun. 18, 2002 of Heliotropium amplexicaule ‘Azure Skies’,not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with and unnamed selectionof Heliotropium leiocarpum, not patented, as the male, or pollen,parent. The new Heliotrope plant was discovered and selected by theInventor as a single flowering plant with the progeny of the statedcross-pollination grown in a controlled greenhouse environment inHikone, Shiga, Japan on Jul. 14, 2003.

Asexual reproduction of the Heliotrope plant by vegetative cuttings inHikone, Shiga, Japan since Jul. 14, 2003, has shown that the uniquefeatures of this new Heliotrope plant are stable and reproduced true totype in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Heliotrope have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensitywithout, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘USHTRP0303’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘USHTRP0303’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofHeliotrope:

-   -   1. Upright to outwardly spreading plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching habit.    -   4. Freely flowering habit.    -   5. Fragrant violet-colored flowers.    -   6. Good summer garden performance.

Plants of the new Heliotrope differ from plants of the female parent,‘Azure Skies’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Heliotrope are more mounding than and not        as creeping as plants of ‘Azure Skies’.    -   2. Plants of the new Heliotrope have darker-colored flowers than        plants of ‘Azure Skies’.    -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Heliotrope are more fragrant        than plants of ‘Azure Skies’.

Plants of the new Heliotrope differ from plants of the male parentselection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Heliotrope are more freely branching than        plants of the male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Heliotrope have smaller leaves than plants        of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Heliotrope can be compared to plants of Heliotrope‘Atlanta’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,326. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in Bonsall, Calif., plants of the new Heliotropediffered from plants of ‘Atlanta’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Heliotrope were more vigorous than and not        as compact as plants of ‘Atlanta’.    -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Heliotrope had yellow        green-colored centers whereas flowers of plants of ‘Atlanta’ had        purple-colored centers.    -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Heliotrope were more fragrant        than flowers of plants of ‘Atlanta’.

Plants of the new Heliotrope can also be compared to plants ofHeliotrope ‘Nagano’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,077. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Bonsall, Calif., plants of the newHeliotrope differed from plants of ‘Nagano’ in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Heliotrope had lighter-colored flowers than        plants of ‘Nagano’.    -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Heliotrope had yellow        green-colored centers whereas flowers of plants of ‘Nagano’ had        purple-colored centers.    -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Heliotrope were more fragrant        than flowers of plants of ‘Nagano’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Heliotrope plant, showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe actual colors of the new Heliotrope plant.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspectiveview of a typical flowering plant of ‘USHTRP0303’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of typicalflowers and leaves of ‘USHTRP0303’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used for the aforementioned photographs and following descriptionwere grown under conditions which closely approximate commercialproduction conditions during the autumn in 12.5-cm containers in anoutdoor nursery in Bonsall, Calif. During the production of the plants,day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 38° C., night temperatures rangedfrom 9° C. to 18° C. and light levels ranged from 7,000 to 10,000foot-candles. Plants were pinched one time and were seven weeks old whenthe photographs and description were taken. In the followingdescription, color references are made to The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Heliotropium amplexicaule×Heliotropium    leiocarpum. ‘USHTRP0303’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Heliotropium amplexicaule ‘Azure Skies’, not            patented.        -   Male parent.—Unnamed selection of Heliotropium leiocarpum,            not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Vegetative tip cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About four days at            temperatures ranging from 17° C. to 29° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About six days at            temperatures ranging from 17° C. to 21° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted plant, summer.—About 22 days at            temperatures ranging from 17° C. to 29° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted plant, winter.—About 25 days at            temperatures ranging from 17° C. to 21° C.        -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; white in            color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium in density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Form.—Upright to outwardly spreading plant habit; inverted            triangle; freely branching habit with about six lateral            branches per plant each primary lateral developing two to            three secondary and tertiary laterals, pinching enhances            lateral branch development; vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 34 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 33 cm by 50 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 31 cm. Diameter:            About 5 mm. Internode length: About 4 cm to 4.5 cm.            Strength: Strong, flexible. Texture: Pubescent; slightly            viscid. Color: Close to 146B.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.        -   Length.—About 6 cm.        -   Width.—About 3.1 cm.        -   Shape.—Lanceolate.        -   Apex.—Acute; recurved with development.        -   Base.—Obtuse.        -   Margin.—Entire, sinuate.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to            146B. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 147A;            venation, close to 146C. Fully expanded leaves, lower            surface: Close to 147B; venation, close to 146D.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 1.7 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper            and lower surfaces: Close to 146C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement, form and habit.—Small actinomorphic            funnelform flowers arranged in compact terminal helicoid            cymes; three to four cymes per stem apex; freely flowering            habit with about 58 flowers per inflorescence; flowers face            mostly upright to outwardly to curling backwards depending            on position in helicoid cyme; flowers sessile.        -   Natural flowering season.—Under greenhouse conditions,            plants begin flowering about seven weeks after planting.            Under outdoor conditions, plants begin flowering during the            spring and flower continuously until frost in California.        -   Flower longevity on the plant.—Longevity of individual            flowers is highly dependent on environmental conditions;            flowers typically last about three to four days on the            plant; flowers persistent.        -   Fragrance.—Strongly fragrant; sweet, pleasant, violet-like.        -   Flower buds.—Length. About 7 mm. Diameter. About 3 mm.            Shape. Ovate. Color: Close to 85B.        -   Flower diameter.—About 1 cm.        -   Flower depth (height).—About 8 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 5 cm by 5.5 cm.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 4 cm to 5.5 cm.        -   Petals.—Arrangement: Single whorl of five petals, petals            fused at the base into a narrow tube. Lobe length: About            3 mm. Lobe width: About 3 mm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Rounded.            Margin: Entire, undulate and wrinkled. Lobe and tube            texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;            velvety. Throat texture: Pubescent. Color: When opening,            upper surface: Close to 85B. When opening, lower surface:            Close to 85C to 85D. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to            85B; towards the base, close to NN155B; color does not fade            with development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 85B            to 85C; color does not fade with development. Throat: Close            to 151B. Tube: Close to 150B.        -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Single whorl of five sepals, fused at            the base; star-shaped calyx. Length: About 3 mm. Width:            About 1 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower            surface: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close            to 146B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3.5 cm to 5 cm. Diameter: About            2 mm. Aspect: Erect to about 45° from the lateral stem axis.            Strength: Strong, flexible. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close            to 146B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: About            five. Filament length: Less than 1 mm. Filament color: Close            to 157A. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther shape: Oval.            Anther color: Close to 157C. Pollen amount: None observed.            Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About            1.5 mm. Stigma shape: Round. Stigma color: Close to 144B.            Style length: About 1 mm. Style color: Close to 144B. Ovary            color: Close to 144B.        -   Seeds/fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Heliotrope have not been    noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Heliotrope.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Heliotrope have been observed    to have good summer garden performance and to tolerate temperatures    from about 1° C. to about 40° C.

1. A new and distinct Heliotrope plant named ‘USHTRP0303’ as illustratedand described.